CEO's Introduction
He Kororia ki te Atua
He maungarongo ki runga i te whenua
He whakaaro pai ki nga tangata katoa
Nga whakaaro ki a ratou kua wheturangitia, me ou ratou whanau i noho ai i raro i te kapua pouri. Nga manaakitanga o te Atua ki runga i a tatou katoa.
This year continues to be a busy one for Te Ohu Kaimoana. We are continuing to put effort and resources into bringing iwi organisations through the Maori Fisheries Act process, participating in necessary fisheries management activities, fish stock assessments and developing Te Putea Whakatupu and Te Wai Maori trusts.
Also, Te Ohu Kaimoana attended the 58th annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) through our membership of the indigenous whaling group World Council of Whalers.
At hui-a-iwi in 1997 and 1999, and again in 2000, Te Ohu Kaimoana was mandated by iwi to monitor national and international developments with respect to the use of whales and other marine mammals as these may impact on Maori and other indigenous peoples. Accordingly, Te Ohu Kaimoana has been a member of the World Council of Whalers since the mid 1990s as an advocate for the sustainable use of all marine resources, including whales, by indigenous and coastal peoples in accordance with cultural rights and traditional practices.
Te Ohu Kaimoana attended the IWC this year for the first time as an observer. It is interesting to note the different indigenous cultures whose governments are members of the IWC and who continue to actively hunt various whale species and sell whale artefacts. For Te Ohu Kaimoana, it was informative to observe how indigenous whaling rights are dealt with.
Whaling is an activity taken very seriously. Hunting a whale can be a rite of passage for people in the communities. I was astounded by the way these people go about their whaling – in some cases in nothing more than a small waka. It's a dangerous exercise and not uncommon for someone to lose their life.
As a result of attending the IWC, Te Ohu Kaimoana will look more closely at how Maori in the future might be able to trade their whalebone carvings with people from around the world. At the moment, it remains illegal to do so. Within Maoridom, there are a variety of views – with some believing total preservation is the way forward, others aiming for a full use of stranded whales, and some who would like to explore hunting.
Te Ohu Kaimoana's role is to represent the views of iwi and we would like to hear what you might think on this subject.
Naku noa, na
Peter Douglas
Chief Executive
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Tiakina ngā rawa hi ika, a tātou kaimoana mo ngā uri whakaheke
Protecting Māori fisheries assets for future generations